This Means War
by mkm12
Summary: When a new ruler in the Earth Kingdom emerges and attacks the Fire Nation, Fire Lord Zuko summons his friends to help him decide his plan of action. But the Earth Kingdom may not be only the thing that Zuko goes to war with. Now that Katara is back in his midst, there may also be a war of hearts to contend with.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender

CHAPTER ONE

Six years of peace. A tenuous peace at that, but peace all the same. And now it was all crashing down around the young Fire Lord.

He was not surprised though. Ever since (the former) King Kuei took his leave and the Dai Li were dismantled, the Earth Kingdom had been in decline. King Bumi tried to govern both Omashu and Ba Sing Se, and for a time, it seemed to work. But Bumi was no longer a young man and within a year after the war the remaining Earth King was gone.

His death was the final breaking point for the Earth Nation. With no successors chosen for either of the two great cities, the government and its people devolved into a bitter and hungry power struggle. A civil war had begun. Avatar Aang and Master Katara, along with Lady Toph Beifong tried their hardest to defuse the war that raged on within the Kingdom and after four long, grueling years it seemed that they had finally won. Two new leaders were appointed in the cities of Omashu and Ba Sing Se and an aura of calm spread across the nation, allowing Aang, Katara, and Toph to take their leave.

Not within a week of their departure a coup was thrown. The newly self-appointed ruler of the Earth Kingdom was the one man that Aang, Katara, and Toph had come to fear, a man by the name of Bo Jin. He was only a minor government official but with the absence of both Kuei and Bumi along with the Dai Li, Jin quickly gained a large and loyal following. Bo Jin gave the people what they wanted: hope. He told them tales of prosperity and wealth; of greatness and justice. And the people bought it. How could they not? They were tired of the civil war. They wanted peace. They wanted the riches and golden promises that Jin told them, that Jin could give to them.

And he did give them. Jin stopped the war. He appointed his general and confidant Ru Fan to rule in Omashu and through their efforts they brought the two major cities to order once more. As order was brought to the great Earth Nation strongholds, the smaller surrounding villages began to fall in line as well. As soon as Jin established a firm control over the land, he cut off all trade with the Fire Nation. The Earth people protested this action. _Why cease trade with the Fire Nation? Aren't they and the other nations supposed to be at peace, in harmony with one another?_ This is where the problem that Bo Jin is, begins.

Bo Jin was a slight, tall man with a lean but wiry muscular build. His lightly tanned skin, warm brown eyes, and clean shaven face made for an attractive leader. He was an excellent speaker and had such a way with words that he could a light fire under even the most lethargic and lifeless of crowds. It was one of the reasons why he was able to generate such a large following. But more than that, Jin was _persuasive_. He could talk almost anyone around, could convince not just one, but hundreds upon thousands of people to follow him, to do as he pleased. And it was this that made him and proved him to be such a dangerous man. It was his charismatic, persuasive abilities that enabled him to convince the people of the Earth Kingdom that cutting off all trade with the Fire Nation was a _good_ thing. He said that he was doing it to protect them. _Who knew if this Fire Lord was going to be any different than the last one? Sure the Avatar trusts him, but Avatar Roku trusted Fire Lord Sozin, and look how that turned out. It is for the good of the nation_, he said. _We aren't hurting anybody. We are simply looking out for the best interests of the Earth Kingdom._

While the Fire Nation was not happy with the new developments in the Earth Kingdom they, like Bo Jin, decided that the Earth Nation was not hurting anyone and determined to leave it at that. And because of the Fire Nation's standpoint on the issue, Aang decided to leave it as well. Even when Bo Jin cut ties to both the Northern and Southern Water tribes, the Avatar and the Chiefs concluded the same as the Fire Nation did: it wasn't hurting anyone. Even when they denied all contact and travel with the other nations: it wasn't _hurting_ anyone. Only when an Earth Nation raiding party ransacked Hing Wa Island did the Fire Nation finally decide that Bo Jin was a problem.

After the attack on Hing Wa Island, Zuko decided it was time to find out what exactly was going on in the Earth Kingdom. He sent several scouts to Ba Sing Se and Omashu to see what they could uncover. When their bodies were delivered to his palace's front door followed by another raid on one of his villages, Zuko knew this was no minor threat; but he had to tread carefully. His nation had just gotten out of a war that wreaked havoc and devastation on the other nations. Even though it had been six years since the war ended the Fire Nation was still not completely trusted by the rest of the world. This was why Fire Lord Zuko was now composing an urgent summons to be sent to his friends, who were fondly referred to as "Team Avatar" by the rest of the world, much to his annoyance.

"Take this to the scribes immediately. I want four copies of this letter made at once," Zuko barked at a servant. "I expect them to be ready in no more than half an hour."

"Yes your Highness," the servant replied, hastily bowing and practically running out of the room to get to the scribes' tower.

Zuko stared moodily out the window of his study. He hated waiting, and the feeling of idleness that was beginning to creep over him was making him itch. He was going over crop yields and weights when he heard a knock at the door.

"Enter," He said, without looking up from his reports.

It was the servant, who had returned with the letters. "Your letters, sir," he said.

Zuko snapped his head up. "Well? What are you waiting for?! Bring them here!" he demanded impatiently. Zuko pushed aside the reports he was looking through, making a mental note to return to them later.

The servant crossed the large room to where the great mahogany desk sat in the center and handed the letters to the intimidating fire bender who sat behind it. "Will that be all, my lord?"

"Yes, you may go." Zuko swiftly signed each of the letters and sealed them in their envelopes hardly giving them a glance… except for one. When he went to seal Katara's letter, he paused. Before he could think too much about what it meant, he added a line to hers. 'I hope this finds you well. Travel safe.' Zuko then folded up the letter, sealed it, and called for the courier to be sent.

He emerged from his study and set off down the hall. The letters would reach his friends in a few days' time, and he needed to summon his war council.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything of Avatar the Last Airbender

CHAPTER TWO

As Zuko predicted, the letters reached their destinations in a few days' time. Aang, Katara, and Sokka were all holed up together at the South Pole, while Toph was currently camped out on Kyoshi Island along with other Earth Nation citizens that did not agree with the current Earth King's regime.

It was Aang who made the announcement that mail had come from none other than the Fire Lord himself. He found Katara in the hut that she used for her bending classes. "Hey Katara! Look at what the messenger hawk just dropped off," he said excitedly, waving the letters high in the air. "They're from Zuko!"

Katara looked up from the lesson plans she was making. "Huh," she said, raising her eyebrows. "Two letters in the same year? Did he hit his head or something?"

Dropping into the plain wooden chair beside her, Aang rolled his eyes. "C'mon Katara, don't be like that. He's the Fire Lord! He's probably just really busy with, you know, running his country and all."

"Apparently," she replied coolly, dropping her gaze back down to the papers in front of her.

Still… she couldn't help but be curious about the contents of the letter. Zuko NEVER wrote to them, except for his one customary letter per year that was about as dry as the Si Wong desert itself. Well, actually, it was _her_ that he never wrote to. Aang and Zuko corresponded quite often, as was expected since he was the Avatar. But unbeknownst to Aang, Katara had perused his correspondence with Zuko and it wasn't all business; they actually _talked_. Sokka and Zuko wrote so much, you'd think they had been best friends for years and the notion that they were ever mortal enemies was preposterous. Hell, Zuko even wrote to Toph.

But never to her. And Katara would be lying to herself if she said it didn't hurt. Mostly though, she just didn't understand him. Sure their relationship had a rocky start but towards the end of the war, they had gotten very close. _Or so I thought_, she surmised. _The guy can risk his life for mine no problem, but keep in touch? Now that's asking too much_.

She shook her head, dispelling the thoughts. When she looked back up at Aang, she noticed that he was staring at her. "What?" she asked.

Aang stared intently at her for a second more before he smiled. "Nothing," he replied innocently. Standing up suddenly, he dropped the post neatly in her lap. "I'm going to go find Sokka so I can give him his. I'll be back later!" Aang placed a quick kiss on her head and with a swift, fluid movement of his hands, he fashioned an air scooter and zipped out of the hut, leaving Katara to open the letter from the Fire Lord.

Katara curiously watched as Aang (literally) flew out the door. Now alone, she looked back at the letter in her lap. _You aren't going to figure out what it says by staring at it_, she chided herself. She shifted the lesson plans she was working on to the table and with a determined sigh opened the letter to discover its contents.

_ Master Katara – _

_ This is a summons to the Fire Nation Capital, issued by his Royal Highness, Fire Lord Zuko. Two attacks have now occurred by the hand of the Earth Kingdom on Fire Nation soil. The Fire Lord requests your presence at the War Council Meeting that is to convene in one week. This is non-negotiable; his Highness will expect your arrival in three days. Do not waste time packing; all clothing and necessities will be provided to you once you reach Capital City. _

_ Signed, _

_ Fire Lord Zuko_

She stared down in shock at the parchment. _The Earth Kingdom has attacked the Fire Nation?! Of all the outlandish and idiotic things to do!_ Her mind began to race. _After all the hard work we put into keeping the peace and finding harmony once again within the nations… what are we going to do? This world is not ready for another war. _

As she read the letter again, she noticed a note at the bottom, and saw that its script differed from the rest. Oh, she knew the words in the missive were Zuko's. She could tell by the high-handed tone that they were his, but she also knew that it wasn't his penmanship that covered the page. _Probably had his scribes copy it down_, she figured.

But at the bottom of the page, she recognized his handwriting. "More like scrawl," she muttered to herself.

_I hope this finds you well. Travel safe._

His small note made her smile. However demanding and bossy he may be, every now and then Zuko could be really sweet. She was sitting alone with these thoughts when Aang with Momo on his shoulder, burst back through the door followed by Sokka.

"Katara! Did you read the letter?! The Earth Kingdom attacked the Fire Nation!," Aang shouted with alarm. " I knew we shouldn't have left with Bo Jin in charge. He's too dangerous!" Momo chattered in agreement.

"I know Aang. But it's going to be alright. Maybe this has all just been a big misunderstanding," Katara reasoned.

"Yeah," said Sokka sarcastically. "Nothing says big misunderstanding like 'I'm here to raid your village'."

She glared at her brother. "Thanks Sokka."

He just shrugged. "Well, are we going to sit around here all day or are we going to get moving? Zuko wants us there in three days and we need to pick up Toph on the way too… possibly Suki as well," As he said the last bit, Sokka stroked his chin in a thoughtful manner.

Aang and Katara both groaned. If Sokka wasn't with Suki, then all Sokka did was talk about wanting to be with Suki. A pointed look from him caused them both to break into laughter.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Laugh all you want chuckleheads. Just you wait! Now come on, we need to get going if we are going to make it there on time."

Katara stood, and began putting away her things. "Maybe it would be a good idea if we showed up a day or two late. Let Mr. Fire Lord know that he doesn't control the universe," she tossed over her shoulder.

Sokka looked at her like she had grown three heads. "And deal with Sifu Hotman's lecture on the importance of timeliness? I'd rather make out with Momo." As he said this, he jerked a thumb in Momo's direction. At that announcement, Momo's eyes widened in fear. He let out a shriek and fled the scene.

Laughing, she turned back to him and rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Sokka".

He lightly punched his sister on the shoulder. "Right then, let's get going."

Watching the siblings during their exchange with humor in his eyes, Aang said, "I'll go and get Appa ready." He began calling eagerly to the flying bison before he even made it out the door.

After a brief meeting with Chief Hakoda to explain the Fire Nation's predicament and their plans, the three separated to gather some provisions for the trip. A short and heartfelt farewell to Hakoda and Gran Gran, and they were on their way.

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Ever since he sent off the letters Zuko had been kicking himself. He just could not believe what he had done. _Why, why did I have to write that stupid little note to Katara?_ Zuko was horrified. He never gave in to whimsy or impulse, but with Katara…well apparently those character traits flew out the window. And with the arrival of his friends tomorrow, he was nervous.

Reflecting back on his relationship with her, he had to laugh. _Of course the one girl I thought I couldn't stand the most would end up being the one that I want_. He shook his head ruefully. _Just my luck_. Leaning back in the chair at his desk in his study, he stayed like that for a moment before snapping back to try and refocus his attentions on the reports he was going through.

He let out an exasperated sigh. _Damn it. I'm getting nowhere with this._ Frustrated,Zuko left his study and wandered the palace halls until he found himself on one of the balconies. Hoping the cool night air might calm his thoughts, he sat down and tried to meditate. It wasn't long before he collapsed onto his back, letting out a defeated sigh to the midnight sky. Getting his thoughts about Katara in order was like trying to control the stars: futile and impossible. Realizing that his attempts to meditate were hopeless, Zuko decided to retire for the night.

Walking the halls once more (though this time with a destination in mind), Zuko, for perhaps the hundredth time, marveled at the elaborate layout of his palace. There were so many halls and doors that unless one grew up there, they would never truly know their way around. Luckily for him, he had had that luxury and knew the place like the back of his hand. A few steps more and he reached the doors of his private chambers.

As soon as he stepped through the double doors, the day's tension seemed to slip from his shoulders. His private rooms were the only place in the palace that his advisors, councilmen, and lords could not reach him. He did not even allow the servants to attend him here, except for a very select few. In this space, he could breathe. In here, he was no longer the Fire Lord, or your highness, or sir. He was just Zuko.

Sitting down on the edge of the expansive four poster bed, Zuko kicked off his boots. He tugged off his shirt, lay back on the bed, and willed himself to sleep.

He woke a few hours later, feeling restless. The Avatar and his party were supposed to arrive today, and he felt on edge.

To try and burn off some energy, Zuko went to his favorite place to practice bending. It was a wide, open, circular area of smooth stone that provided a dazzling view of the ocean. With the sun-warmed stone beneath his feet he began with some basic exercises, quickly progressing to more advanced moves.

His movements were strong and exact, and perfectly executed. He was still bending when a servant came rushing in, waiting for the Fire Lord to take notice of him. Finishing the set, he looked over at the man. When he still said nothing, Zuko began to lose his patience. "Well, what is it?" he snapped.

"They are here, your Highness," he said, slightly out of breath. "The Avatar and his party have arrived in Capital City."

**A/N: Wow. Okay so here it is! I'm really stoked to FINALLY be able to post on here, so I truly hope you enjoy what's been written so far. Reviews would be lovely, as they are like tiny (pinches thumb and pointer finger together to demonstrate actual size) golden nuggets that feed a writer's soul. So please, feel free to let me know your thoughts! **

**Oh! And also… shout out to my unofficial official beta, ****arizona4ever. ****She's a gem!**


	3. Chapter 3

*DISCLAIMER* I do not own anything from Avatar the Last Airbender

Chapter Three

Aang and Katara had already dismounted from the bison by the time Zuko arrived at the front steps of the palace. Looking at the scene before him, he took it all in: the warm, beautiful day; the glittering ocean in the background; Sokka's offered hand to Toph to help her down, her purposefully ignoring it… Zuko hadn't realized how much he had missed his friends until he saw them there. Lost in his reverie, he was completely unaware of the odd expressions on their faces. Eventually, it was Katara who brought him back to the present.

"Umm… Zuko? Are you uh, feeling okay?"

Taking in their concerned looks, he glanced down at himself and mentally winced. He was covered in sweat and dust from his practice session just moments before. He was breathing rather heavily, and with a none too casual check of his hair, he realized what a sight he must present.

With a rather forced smile he replied, "Yeah, yeah I'm good. I'm great! I just got done with some uh, fire bending practice." Looking anywhere but their faces he continued. "Sorry I'm not cleaned up I—"

"Zuko, do you _really_ think we care how you look?" Toph cut him off.

He paused a beat before replying "Uh… I guess not?"

"Exactly". And with that, whatever spell that had been cast over the group evaporated. Sokka raced over to Zuko and enveloped him in a great brotherly hug, followed closely by Aang. Toph gave him a solid hit in the shoulder, eliciting a grimace from him that caused her to smile. Then it was Katara's turn to greet him. Without any hesitation she drew him into a tight embrace. "It's really good to see you Zuko," she said quietly.

He stiffened and awkwardly patted her on the back with one hand, the other hanging limply at his side. "Uh, yeah, you too Katara."

She abruptly released him and stepped back. "Yeah, I can really tell," she bit out, as she turned on her heel and headed towards Appa to pick up the bag she'd packed.

"I thought I told you that you didn't need to pack anything. I can get you whatever you need here," he called after her.

"Yeah, and maybe I decided that I didn't _need_ anything from you," she shot back.

A servant suddenly appeared, much to the relief of the others. "Your highness, the rooms prepared for your guests are ready, if you would like me to show them where they are staying?"

"Yes, please do," he said, looking at Katara with a smug expression on his face.

Shooting him a narrowed glare, Katara strode past him and the others, promptly waiting for the servant to show her to her quarters. With a sigh, Toph went to grab her small bag along with Aang and Sokka. As they were coming back, Sokka gave Zuko a low whistle followed by an eye roll, letting Zuko know exactly what he thought of his sister's temper.

Once everyone had their bags, they headed inside the massive structure that Zuko called home. As he was about to depart from the group to head to his own chambers, he stopped and said, "Feel free to rest and freshen up if you like. Lunch will be served in about an hour, and afterwards I thought we could meet to discuss the current status of the Earth Kingdom."

They all shared a somber nod, and then parted ways.

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Katara gave a polite thank you to the servant for showing her to her rooms and then gently closed the door. Turning to take stock of the room, she stopped as she stared slack jawed at the beautiful space.

She was standing in a small entry way that had steps leading down to the main floor. To her right was a large magnificent bed, covered in gold and red linens. At the foot of the bed lay a polished black trunk that contained more blankets and throws. A plush chaise lounge also occupied the room, along with a massive dresser and a three way mirror. The entrance to the bathroom was on her left. Curious, she walked down the steps that led to the main floor and made her way to the double set of doors. As she opened them and stepped through, she was once again in awe. The counters and tile were a stunning black granite and further investigation led her to discover an in-ground bath tub large enough to seat at least five people. _What does he think people do in the bath, swim laps?_ She saw that a walk-in shower was provided as well. Katara shook her head in amazement. _They really don't leave anything out around here, do they? _she thought. Red towels with the Fire Nation emblem embroidered on them were already stocked and ready for use.

Her astonishment at the luxury and sheer opulence of the rooms made her earlier outrage at Zuko slip from her mind. That is, until she reached the wardrobe. Flinging open the doors, she picked up one of the formal dresses she had packed from her bag. Katara sighed. _This one will be a little warm_, she thought to herself, _but it will__—_ she didn't finish the thought. Katara was now looking _in_ the open wardrobe, and she was stunned. The wardrobe was _packed_ with clothes, beautiful clothes of varying shades of red and even a few blue pieces to recognize her Water Tribe heritage. Her earlier anger at Zuko came back with startling force, and in her mind she was replaying the scene that occurred outside the palace with him this morning:

"_I thought I told you that you didn't need to pack anything. I can get you whatever you need here," he called after her. _

"_Yeah, and maybe I decided that I didn't need anything from you," she shot back. _

_A servant suddenly appeared, much to the relief of the others. "Your highness, the rooms prepared for your guests are ready, if you would like me to show them where they are staying?"_

"_Yes, please do," he said with a smug look on his face, directed towards Katara. _

She now fully understood why Zuko was only too content to have them to shown to their rooms. _No wonder he looked so smug… _

"THAT COCKY PRICK!"

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Zuko was tying the belt to his tunic when he checked the time. _Hm, about twenty minutes till lunch. Better get going_. He picked up his crown and began to fix his hair, using it to secure his top knot in place. Looking over himself in the mirror, he nodded his head in approval. He was wearing clothes very similar to those he wore back when he traveled with his friends: red pants tucked into black boots and a handsome maroon and gold tunic with a red shirt beneath it.

He smirked at himself in mirror. _By now, _he thought, _I bet Katara's found the clothes that I had bought for her. Whatever was wrong with her earlier, this will be sure to fix it. Girls. Whoever said they were complicated sure didn't know what they were talking about._ Confidently squaring his shoulders, Zuko turned and left his private quarters to go and meet his friends for lunch.

Zuko (not surprisingly) was the first one to reach the informal dining hall. Floor to ceiling windows framed by red drapes covered all the walls but one, creating a lovely cross breeze that helped cool the room. Zuko was peering out one of said windows when he heard footsteps coming in. Looking over he saw it was Katara, and she was wearing one of her traditional, heavy Water Tribe garments.

His brow furrowed in confusion. "Why aren't you wearing the things I had bought for you? Are the sizes wrong?"

Katara stared at him. _He thought I would be pleased with the clothes? After what an asshole he was? Unbelievable!_ "No, everything fits fine." She walked over to where the low table sat and primly took a seat on one of the large floor pillows. "If you do recall, oh Fire lord, I told you that I didn't require anything from you. And that includes clothing."

Zuko went from confused to incredulous. "You're _mad_ because I bought you clothes? I don't expect you to pay me back, they're gifts—"

"I wouldn't have paid you back anyways! I didn't ask you for anything Zuko," she said as she glared at him before turning back to face the table.

The fire bender bore his gaze into her back as he tried to figure her out. _I don't get it! I bought her some __very__ expensive, very fine__—__ wait. Maybe that's the problem. Mai was always put in a better mood after a fight when I told her how much money I lavished on her. _Striding over to where Katara sat, he said "I spent quite an extravagant amount of money on your things. They came from the finest shops in the Fire Nation and—"

She had had enough. She whipped around to face him. "Zuko, _I don't care_ how much money you spent. That's not the issue," she said fiercely.

"Then what the hell is?!" he fairly yelled. He didn't understand her, and was beginning to become frustrated by her angry mood.

"What the hell is?! I'll tell you what the hell is Zuko!" She was standing now, barely containing her ire at the Fire Lord in front of her. "The problem is that you wrote to everyone else, stayed in touch with everyone else, except for _me_. The problem is that you can greet everyone else like a friend, except for _me_. You greet me like a stranger! I give you a hug and all I get is a lousy pat on the back? I don't think so Zuko. Not after all that we have been through."

Looking into her eyes, he saw it all: them taking on her mother's killer; her going with him to defeat Azula; the lightning bolt that he took for her, and the tears she had cried when she thought she'd lost him. But most of all, he _felt_ everything that he had been trying to deny, trying to ignore for the water bender that stood before him.

He lightly grasped her arm in his hand. "Katara I—" Zuko wasn't able to finish the sentence. Honestly, he wasn't even sure what he had been going to finish it with; for right at that moment, Aang, Sokka, and Toph wandered in.

Sokka was in the middle of telling a terrible pun when he stopped suddenly, noticing Zuko and his sister. "Are we interrupting anything?" he asked, eyeing them warily.

Katara and Zuko leapt back from one another. "No!" they shouted in unison.

"I mean no, no not at all. Please, come in and sit down. Lunch is ready." Zuko gestured for the others to move to the table and pick a seat. He himself chose to sit at the head of the table.

Once everyone was seated, Zuko clapped his hands twice, summoning the food to be brought. As it was being placed around the table, he glanced at Katara and saw that Aang was sitting next to her… and staring. Hard. At him. Not able to hold his friend's gaze, he quickly dropped his eyes and looked away. He didn't know what he had been about to say to Katara before they were interrupted, but he did know that whatever it was, would have been a betrayal to his friend. _What was I thinking… what's wrong with me? Get a grip Fire Lord._ Suddenly hearing his name, he looked up. Everyone was looking at him expectantly.

"Thanks for tuning in Sparky!" Toph said cheekily. "As I was saying, how are things over here in the land of the hot and humid?"

And with that, the conversation began to flow. They talked a little about a lot of things, everybody catching each other up on everything. Nobody acknowledged the fact that Zuko and Katara refused to talk to each other directly; a polite nod or murmur of assent was all they would give. Other than that, it was great lunch with friends. Sokka had just finished up a story about Suki (one of many, if you asked Katara and Aang), and turned his attention to the Fire Lord.

"So Zuko, where's Mai? I haven't seen her around here. How she's doing?"

Zuko blanched. "Oh um, she's good, great! I mean, I think she's doing great. I don't see why she wouldn't be…"

Sokka gave him a quizzical stare. "You think? I mean I know she's not exactly the talkative type but she is your girlfriend and…" Sokka trailed off when he noticed Zuko's look of extreme discomfort. "She is your girlfriend still, right Zuko?"

"Weelll…" He was blushing furiously from embarrassment. "Mai—is a girl, who is my friend, sort of, but she's…" he gesticulated wildly with his hands, trying to find a way to explain his new relationship status.

"Not your girlfriend," supplied Toph in a casual tone.

Zuko looked at her. "Yeah. Not my girlfriend."

There was a beat of silence, then "So you guys aren't together anymore," said Sokka.

"That's what I just said!" shouted Zuko. Reigning in his frustration and embarrassment, he explained. "It was a mutual thing. We were being pulled in different directions and didn't really have time for each other anymore, so we decided to break it off but remain friends. She's currently over in another one of our larger cities, studying government and law at University."

The others just watched him, silently looking for signs of distress or sadness on Zuko's countenance. Looking back and forth between their faces waiting for them to say something, he became fed up. "What?!" he exclaimed in exasperation.

"Nothing!" they claimed, suddenly looking everywhere except him. With an unintelligent mumble, he resumed eating his food.

"Well, good for her Zuko. Mai will make one hell of a lawyer!" Toph said.

At the mention of a lawyer, Sokka's eyes lit up. "Oh! That reminds me! Aang, remember when I was your lawyer when you were accused of killing Chin the Conqueror? Zuko, have you heard this story? No? Ah man you have to! It's great! Okay, so it starts like this…" Zuko, grateful for the redirect of the conversation let out a sigh of relief, relaxed, and enjoyed the food and company of good friends.

Eventually, their stomachs became full and the weight of what needed to be discussed settled over them. Sensing the change in atmosphere, Zuko cleared his throat, directing the others' attention to him. "If you all are finished, I would like to go over the situation that the Earth Kingdom presents."

They nodded their heads in agreement, and stood up from the table.

"Good. Then follow me." Zuko led them deeper into the massive palace. After a series of turns and halls, he produced a key and opened a door. Once it was unlocked, he motioned them inside. It was Zuko's study. Following them in, he opened yet another door, one that led to a spacious room where a table with a model of the four nations rested, surrounded by high backed chairs. A large map of the Earth Kingdom covered one wall, with some pins sticking in various cities and places. Along another wall, letters and papers of differing sizes were hung. "Intel we've picked up," he said, following their gazes. "Please sit," he said, gesturing to the chairs.

Walking to stand at the front of the table, he turned to face them, and began to speak. "The Earth Kingdom has been attacking Fire Nation villages as of late. As I told you in the letters, I sent scouts to infiltrate the Earth Nation. They were returned to me brutally tortured and murdered, along with another attack. In light of that, I came up with a new plan. I had one of the war balloons camouflaged to blend in with the sky and I sent three of my best soldiers to see what they could gain from aerial surveillance." He turned his back to them then, facing the map behind him. "They returned with unfavorable news. The Earth Nation seems to be preparing for a large scale attack, if not a war. My men saw battleships in the harbors and what looked to be numerous, recently constructed training facilities." He turned back to them then, looking into their faces. "As of right now, I still have a balloon going out on scouting missions, gathering information; but it's risky. I can only send out one at a time, two at the most, and if the cloud coverage isn't just right my pilots run the risk of being seen and shot down."

Placing his hands wide on the table, Zuko leaned forward with his eyes cast down at the model of their world. In a quiet voice he said, "I don't know what my next move should be. I don't want another war, but I can't stand idly by while my people are being attacked either." He gripped the edges of the table tightly. "I have to do _something_."

The others stared at him in shock. They never imagined the Earth Kingdom situation would be so serious. Finally, it was Sokka who spoke.

"You're sure about what your soldiers saw Zuko? They couldn't have been mistaken by any chance?"

Pushing off the table, he sank wearily into a chair. "That occurred to me too. But I went with them on one of the missions; I saw it for myself Sokka. They are preparing for something."

It could not escape any of their notice how much this threat weighed on Zuko. _It must never leave his thoughts,_ thought Katara. Her earlier anger at him faded to the back of her mind. _And how could it? He has a whole nation of people depending on him, trusting him to make the right choices. _She looked over at him with unmasked sympathy and understanding. "We will think of something. You're not alone in this, Zuko."

He regarded her with surprise in his golden eyes, but they quickly warmed with gratitude. He knew that she hadn't forgotten their argument, and neither had he for that matter; but when it comes down to it, Katara never abandons her friends. It was one of the things he admired most about her.

"Katara's right Zuko. We'll figure this out. We always do," said Sokka confidently. Toph nodded her head in agreement.

Aang stood up and walked to where Zuko sat. He put a steady hand on his shoulder, and looking him in the eyes, he spoke. "As Katara said, you are not alone in this. We are here to share this burden with you Zuko. We can do this."

Looking around at his friends' confident and strong faces, a seed of hope was planted in his tired soul. For the first time since this whole mess began, Zuko felt that he might make it out after all.

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After the meeting, Zuko made his apologies to his friends; he would be leaving them to their own devices the rest of the day, for he had to attend to his daily duties as Fire Lord that he had neglected due to their arrival. It was sometime after midnight that Zuko finally extinguished the light in his office, leaving the rest of the paperwork for the morning. He was heading back to his rooms when a figure out the window caught his attention. Turning back he was it was Katara, alone in one of the private gardens.

She was dressed in a set of red silk pajamas: a loose, flowing pair of shorts and a spaghetti strapped tank top with a modest cut across the top. She had on a matching robe that hung open in the front and her hair was pinned up in a relaxed bun, with stray pieces that escaped to her face. In the garden was a small pond, where at the edge stood Katara. She was streaming a ribbon of water in an aimless pattern, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Zuko moved to continue his way on to his chambers, but stopped. Something was obviously bothering Katara and if their places were reversed, she wouldn't hesitate to offer her help or lend an ear. After the fiasco at lunch today though… Zuko wasn't all that sure that she would want his company, _but she is going to get it anyway_ he thought.

He stepped out into the garden, and simply gazed at her for a moment, unnoticed. He admired the way the red clothing looked against her tanned skin, and with her hair carelessly pinned up, she looked perfectly disheveled. A small grin fell over his lips. A disheveled Katara was a most enticing image that he didn't want to soon forget. With a slight shake of his head, he silently approached her. "I usually find myself in the gardens too when I can't sleep."

Katara let out a small gasp and shot the water she was streaming at Zuko, rocketing him back a couple feet and onto his back. He wheezed out her name, trying to catch his breath.

Hearing her name, she took a good look at her "attacker", and with a shock realized who it was. "Zuko!" she cried out. Katara rushed over to him, and pulled him to his feet. "I am so sorry! I was deep in thought and then you completely took me by surprise and— Here let me help you with that" she said as she bended the water from his clothes back into the pond, effectively drying him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good. This will teach me to never sneak up on you again though," he said a little breathlessly.

Katara let out a small smile. "What are you doing out here so late anyways?" she asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he replied with a playful tug of his mouth. "I was leaving my study and headed to my rooms when I saw you out here, and thought I would make sure you were alright," he added in a serious tone.

"I just came out here to clear my head and think a bit." She looked down at the ground before bringing her eyes back up to his. "Actually Zuko… I was thinking about what happened today and wanted to apologize. I didn't realize how serious the problem with the Earth Kingdom really was, and now my being that angry with you for not staying in touch seems so foolish."

"No, Katara I should be the one apologizing to you. Things were just… complicated and after the war and everything, I didn't know how to write to you without it being, too err—"

"Formal?" she supplied. She walked over to a small stone bench that was near the water, and motioned for Zuko to sit with her. "We didn't really get a chance to talk after Ozai was defeated. Everything just happened so fast it seems like."

"Umm, yeah. Right, exactly." _Not exactly the word I would have picked. Maybe more like "forward", or too "I-can't-get-you-out-of-my-head", seems more accurate. _

She smiled at him. "You know, you could have just wrote and told me that, and then I would have told you that everything is fine and not weird, and then this whole mess could have been avoided. But we are talking about it now so I suppose this makes up for it." She gave him a sharp look, and pointed a finger at him. "I am still peeved about it though. Not angry, but definitely _peeved_."

Zuko chuckled. "Understood, Master Katara. So… we are good then?"

She nodded. "We're good Zuko. We kind of have to be anyways."

A curious look crossed his face. "What do you mean?"

"Well," she said sheepishly, "I forgot how hot it gets here in the Fire Nation, and I was melting in my clothes earlier during lunch. Sooner or later I would have had to of worn the clothes you bought, and I much preferred sooner. They really are beautiful by the way. I love them all. Besides, it would be crazy to refuse a gift from the Fire Lord himself, right?"

"Right," he smirked.

They sat there for a while in a companionable silence, staring out at the pond, lost in their own thoughts. Katara turned her head to Zuko, and looked at him like there was something else she wanted to say.

"What?" he asked.

"Are you really alright? With the whole Mai break up and everything? Because I know break ups can be tough, but as my Gran Gran always said, there plenty of elephant koi in the sea and—"

"Katara," he said gently. "I'm fine, really. It was… tough at first. I mean, we had been together for a long time. But, it was the right decision. Whatever we had in the beginning just wasn't there anymore. I still care about her, but as a friend. The same goes for her. It really was a nice breakup, as far as breakups go."

Katara nodded her head. "Good. I'm really happy to hear that Zuko. Staying friends after being so close to someone like that is tough, but it's great. Really great."

Glancing at her, he knew he should ask how her Aang and were. It was only polite. But in all honesty he didn't want to know. He didn't care, and quite frankly if he heard how happily they were getting on he just might vomit, which he figured was not a very royal thing to do. However, she was his friend and he was the Fire Lord after all. He would put aside his feelings on the issue and would follow decorum. Taking a deep breath and readying himself for news he did not want to hear, he opened his mouth and…

She stood up. Looking down at him, she said, "I'm really glad we had the chance to talk. I've missed you Zuko." Katara blushed as she said the last part. "I had better get to bed. You should too, especially with the late hours you keep," she teased.

"I will. I'm only going to stay out here a little longer."

"Alright then. Goodnight Zuko." Without waiting for him to return the pleasantry, she left and headed back to her rooms.

Zuko watched her wide eyed as she departed. Slowly, he recovered and a wide smile took its place. _She missed me, eh?_ He was beginning to feel giddy when another thought brought him crashing back to earth: Katara is dating Aang. _Her saying she missed me is like saying she missed Momo_ he thought dejectedly. He let out a heavy sigh. _I just can't win, can I?_ He stayed a little while longer in the garden, alone and brooding with his thoughts. Finally, he too began to feel the weariness of the day, and left to retire for the night.

**A/N: And that's chapter three! ****a**** wee bit longer than the first two, and some more zutaraness : ) Next chapter should be a fun one because Zuko gets a bombshell dropped on him that will definitely change his perspective on something… guess we will have to wait and see! Reviews are gems and I love replying to them, so feel free to drop one in. Until next time then! **

**-M**


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